


Journey before the end.

by Sindrashar



Category: Inazuma Eleven GO
Genre: dont look at me i just wanted to write this, its basically just Taiyou traveling the world, while his illness slowly kills him, you could call this an au in which Taiyou never recovers from his illness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-07
Updated: 2016-04-20
Packaged: 2018-05-31 19:04:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6483508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sindrashar/pseuds/Sindrashar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All stories have an ending. But what if your story has barely even started?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing Taiyou, i hope its not too ooc. More chapters will be added later.   
> Also, english is not my native language.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taiyou gets half-expected news.

The news wasn't really a shock. Somehow, he had always known he wouldn't last long. His hospital visits had become more frequent the past year, and he could feel it in his chest. It hurt when he ran, when he kicked a ball, when he did what he loved the most. He closed his eyes and tried to distract himself for his mothers desperate cries. The doctor's voice was soft but he was clearly used to bringing bad news. "What do you mean he's going to die?! My son is only thirteen!" Ignoring his dad's loud voice was almost impossible. Still he tried his best.  
"H-how.. How long do i have?" The room immediately went silent, all staring at the boy in the bed. He had opened his eyes again and calmly waited for an answer. The doctor hesitated for a short while, but soon gave in. "A year at most. Though, half a year is more likely." His mother gasped and started crying again. Even his father had tears in his eyes. "It's because we let him play soccer...! We knew it wasn't good for him, but we thought it wouldn't do any serious harm! We never should have let him play..."  
He froze while his parents hugged him. "Don't worry dear, you'll never play that dangerous sport again. You'll spend your last days safely at home, in your own bed. We'll get you a dog, and come home as often as we can, alright?" They were going to lock him up in his own bed, without any chance for him to escape? That would mean he wouldn't get to go outside ever again..! They couldn't be serious.  
Or could they? Did he seriously think he could fool himself? Of course they were serious, they always were. And he always ended up having to obey.

But not this time.


	2. The story starts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taiyou makes a decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're finally getting started!  
> I don't have an update schedule or anything so idk when the next update will be.  
> Sorry if my chapters are a bit short.

He had to strike before they took him home. He knew that in his current condition he wouldn't be able to climb the fence surrounding his house. So he had to run before they came to get him, which gave him a week. There was no way he could gather everything he needed in such a short time. Unless... he had help. With a small prayer he took out his phone and called his teammates, hoping with all his heart they'd understand.  
It took Saturn a few seconds to answer his phone. "Dude, unlike you i have school! Had to make up some stupid excuse to get out of class, so this better be important." When his friend and captain didn't answer he got a bit worried. "Taiyou? You okay? Sorry i snapped at you. Is there something i can do for you?" Taiyou desperately tried to keep his voice under control. He didn't want to tell them, his _friends_ , the news. Not yet. "Actually, i need a favour. Think you could get me some spare clothes, a knife and a bag? Some food would be nice too." Saturn raised an eyebrow. "What do you need all this stuff for? Planning on running away from the hospital for good?" His voice was joking but when Taiyou stayed silent he frowned. "Oh god, Taiyou, that's a terrible idea. I know you love soccer but this is going too far. You were doing better, weren't you? Just have patience, you'll be out on the field with us in no time." Taiyou's hand shook a bit. "No, you don't understand. They're gonna _lock me up in my own house_ , Saturn. They won't even let me outside again! Please, try to understand. I- " Saturn interrupted him. "Yeah, we know, You'd rather die than never play soccer again, right?" Taiyou desperately tried not to cry, but without success. "..Taiyou? What's wrong man? ..Hey.. Say something.." Taiyou almost chocked on the words when he tried to speak. "Tomorrow, ten in the morning, same hospital room as last time." He ended the call as soon as he was done speaking. Still shaking, he stood up and walked out of his room. He wanted to _run_ , to _leave_ , but this wasn't something he could run from.  
Saturn stared at his monotone beeping phone. Had his friend, his captain, his _leader_ been crying just now? He slowly put his phone away and walked back into the classroom. "Venus, I think there's trouble." The teacher gave him an annoyed and angry look for interrupting her lesson, but Saturn couldn't care less. "It's about Taiyou." The blonde boy immediately stood up and followed him without a word. The entire class stared after them, but neither of them paid it any mind. They had more important things to worry about. Things with orange hair like the sun.

He had tried to sleep, really, but he was too nervous. How are you supposed to tell your friends that you're going to die? And how would he convince them to help? He splashed some water into his face, trying to get rid of the bags under his eyes and the foggy feeling. After drying his face he returned to his room, not quite ready for the long wait. A glance at the clock in the hall had told him it was around eight in the morning. Two more long hours to go. With a sigh he let himself fall onto his bed. He buried his head in his pillow and wished the doctors hadn't told his parents. Things would've been so much easier.  
The nurse gave the boys a strange look. "Visitors your age? At this time of the day?" A blond boy nodded and the team moved to the stairs. "We'll make sure not to cause any trouble, don't worry." They soon found the room but none of them dared to go first and open the door. Venus sighed and pushed two teammates aside. The idiots. They were only here to see their friend and captain, not to fight a bear or something. Without hesitation he opened the door and stepped inside. "Hello captain."  
Taiyou heard the door open and looked up for his book. Not that he had been reading. He had just stared at the words until now. "Oh, Hi Venus." When he saw the other teammates behind the blond his fears had become reality. Somewhere he had hoped Saturn would only tell Venus.  
He should have known better. "Hello everyone." They all greeted him back and gathered around his bed. Some obviously weren't told much and had no idea why they were here. Others looked worried sick. He tried to give them a bright smile like usual but only produced a tiny, sad smile. Venus crossed his arms and Saturn looked more worried than ever. "...Taiyou..?"  
He snapped out of it and looked down at his folded hands. With a shaky voice he began to speak. "I.. I'm going to run away from this place. I'd rather spend the rest of my life out there, experiencing things and surrounded by nature, then here. I.. I'm.." He felt close to crying again, the words stuck in his throat. A warm, reassuring hand touched his shoulder and Taiyou looked up. The hand was Saturn's, and Venus gave him a little smile. Taiyou took a deep breath and finally said the four words that had been repeating themselves over and over and over again in his head since he heard the news. "I'm going to die."  
A bag hit the ground and for a second, there was not a single sound in the room. Everyone expected him to look up, to smile, and tell them this was all just a joke. But that reaction never came. When the worst shock was over he had, before he knew it, two pair of arms around him, his two closest friends crying onto his shoulder. His teammates' whispers filled his room. "This.. this isn't real, right..? This can't be real..!" "Captain!" Taiyou!" "Captain Amemiya!" More bags hit the floor. Taiyou couldn't keep his tears back any longer and soon Venus' and Saturn's weren't the only ones with tears streaming down their faces. More warm hands on his back and shoulders, more crying faces around him. A nurse who had heard the noises peeked into the room. A circle crying boys, all holding eachother and trying not to make too much noise, standing around the bed of the boy with orange hair she had caught sneaking out of his room more than once. It was a strange sight.  
No one knew for how long they had stood there, but now the tears were dried and the sobbing had stopped. Saturn had finally asked the thing they all wanted to know. "So, you're gonna run? How? Was that why you needed the favour?" Taiyou nodded. "Yes. I only have a week before my parents come to get me. There's no way i can rather everything i need on my own, so i'll need your help." He hesitated before asking the question burning on his tongue. "Will you guys help?" For a second he was worried they'd say no. But then Saturn's face split into a grin and almost slammed his hand onto Taiyou's shoulder. "Are you kidding? Of course we'll help! Just tell us what to do, _Captain_."   
A warm smile  appeared on Taiyou's face. All his teammates were grinning, even the serious Venus, ready to help their captain escape this prison.  
He had almost forgotten how great friends were.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

Getting him out of the hospital proved to be their greatest challenge. Even at night the nurses patrolled the hallways. They had tried to come up with as many plans as they could, some more heroic than others, but in the end they settled on the easiest one. Getting him into a wheelchair and telling the hospital they were going for a walk. 

"That actually sounds pretty lame." Saturn commented, but Venus didn't have time for his complaining. "It's the least dangerous way. I know it's not as heroic as you'd have liked, but try to deal with it." Saturn sighed and took the packet from underneat his jacket. "Fine. By the way, here's the knife you asked fo- " Venus quickly covered his friend's mouth with his hand. Saturn gave him a sheepish look. "Oh right, sorry." Taiyou chuckled and took the package, slowly opening it. He held his breath when he saw the glimmering knife. It looked dangerous and very different from a nnormal kitchen knife. "Where did you even find this?" Saturn shrugged. "Oh, i happened to find it among my grandpa's traveling stuff." He pointed at the bag he brought earlier. "After i found that bag i figured there should be more stuff we could use in that pile of junk."  
Taiyou carefully wrapped the knife in a towel Venus brought the other day and put it in the backpack. "Did you guys buy the train ticket yet?" Venus grinned and pulled out his wallet. "Of course. Everything is ready, just say the word."  
"Good." Taiyou started changing into the normal clothes his teammates got from his house, a determined look in his eyes. When he was done he took out his phone and nodded to Saturn. "Let's call them. We'll meet up at the station." Venus got the hint and quickly went to get a wheelchair. 

Fooling the nurses wasn't as hard as they had thought it would be. Only one asked where they were going, and when the boys told her she immediatly gave them permission.  
Once out of sight of the hospital, they parked the wheelchair in some bushes and walked to the station, Taiyou's hair hidden under a cap to make sure no one recognised him. Saturn was carrying the backpack, while Venus lead the way.  
It was quiet at the station, not unusual for this time of the day. His teammates were waiting for them at the front doors, not saying a word when he arrived. In complete silence they walked to the platform his train would leave from. The train wasn't there yet and one of his teammates finally had enough courage to ask. "You're.. You're coming back to us, right?" Taiyou was a bit surprised but he didn't have the heart to say no when he saw all their faces, filled with hope. "Of.. Of course. I'll call you when I'm in the area, so you can come pick me up. Okay?" They all nodded and the sound of the train entering the station seemed louder than ever. They all shook his hand, most going in for a hug as well.  
His two best friends came last, a sad look in their eyes. They had seen through his lie and somehow knew this could very well be the last time they saw him. Saturn was the first to cry, his head buried in Taiyou's shoulder. "I-I'm g-going to m-miss you.." Venus wiped some tears away as well and even the orange boy couldn't keep his eyes dry. "I'm going to miss you guys too. Win the finals for me, okay?" They all nodded. Of course they would. After a last look, he stepped into the train. "Take care!" He tried his best to smile, to be his usual upbeat self again. But his smile seemed off and the tears were still on his face.  
His teammates kept waving, long after the train had disappeared from sight. Then, the strength finally leaving his legs, Saturn fell to his knees. A small hand was put on his shoulder, Venus' way of showing support.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A journey begins with the first step, however cold it may be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm updating slower than i expected, and i seem to hae hit a writersblock, so im a bit stuck atm.  
> For now i'll just post the first hafl of this chapter  
> enjoy!

The silence inside the train felt strange. The orange-haired boy sat down in an empty cabin and wiped the tears from his face, ready for the coming journey.   
Staring out of a window, however, makes one tired. Soon Taiyou felt his eyes closing, calmed by the steady rhythm of the train.

Someone shook his shoulder again and Taiyou's eyes snapped open. Disorientated, he took a look around. the sun was close to setting and the dim light filled the cabin. "This is the last stop, sir." He turned towards the voice, still half-asleep. "Uhh, yeah. I'll uh.. get off now." He stood up and grabbed his backpack. Before he knew it, he stood outside and the train had left the station. A chill went down his spine and he started shivering. A quick look around told him that everything was covered in snow. No wonder he was freezing.   
He slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked out of the deserted station. Ouside, there was only a single road with some tiny shops. Raising an eyebrow, Taiyou wondered where he was. A sign pointing towards the road up the mountain caught his eye. "Hakuren -> " Hadn't he heard that name before? If he remembered correctly, Hakuren fought in the Holy Road... Maybe someone could help him there. And even if they couldn't, he had always wanted to play in the snow. With a sigh he started to walk.

  
Walking helped against the cold, and soon his cheecks were burning. He had never thought a landscape filled with only snow could be this beautiful. After what seemed like forever, he was finally getting close to the top of the mountain. He followed the turn in the road and froze. Before him laid the soccer fields of the school, all frozen in ice. But there wasn't a single player in sight. He continued walking and faint laugher reached his ears. The closer he came to the school, the more voices he could hear. He walked around the school to see what was going on. In front of the school was a big.. ice skating ring? Most of the students were on the ice. Some racing, others talking. It was a strange view.  
He approached the crowd, but was suddenly stopped by a hand on his arm. "Watch out!" His feet slipped and if the stranger hadn't catched him, he would've fallen flat on his face. He stranger pulled him on his feet and Taiyou finally got a good look at his face. "Sorry, you okay? These stairs are hard to see in all the snow.." The man in front of him seemed of middle-age, with gray (or was it white?) hair and a kind smile. "Are you new here? I thought we wouldn't have any transfer students until fall.." Taiyou snapped out of his daze and bowed. "S-sorry..! I missed my trainstop and um i didn't see anyone at the station so i thought maybe i could get some help here." He gave the man one of his famous smiles. "Did i come at a bad time?" The man laughed and started walking towards the ice skating ring, gesturing at Taiyou to follow. "I'm Fubuki, the coach of this school's soccer team. And you are..?"   
Taiyou kept his smile on his face, but his thoughts were racing. Was it safe to give this 'Fubuki' his name? His parents probably hadn't warned the police yet so it should be fine, right? "Taiyou. Amemiya Taiyou." Fubuki looked like he recognised the name. "Taiyou... Aren't you that kid that disappeared from the hospital this morning?" Shit. Fubuki chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm not going to turn you in or anything. You look fine to me so i bet you got bored of being locked up in such a place. Am i right?" Taiyou gave him a shy laugh, deciding not to tell Fubuki his real reason for leaving. They had reached the ring and Fubuki called out to a purple (or was it blue?) haired boy. "Yukimura! It's time to go home. Hurry up and put those skates in your locker!" The boy who Taiyou assumed was Yukimura, sat down on some stairs and took off his ice-skates. "He's living with me for a while. You're lucky, Taiyou. School's just finished for today. I'll give you a ride." Soon Yukimura came jogging towards them, a questioning look in his eyes when he saw Taiyou. "Fubuki, who is this?" Fubuki walked towards the parking lot while he answered. "His name is Taiyou. We're giving him a ride." Yukimura looked like he wanted to ask more but knew he shouldn't. "Nice to meet you." He tried smiling at the boy, but Yukimura wouldn't buy it. "Just get in the car already."

  
Halfway down the mountain it started to snow. By the time they reached the foot of the mountain the calmly falling snow had changed into a snowstorm. Fubuki sighed and turned away from the main road. "Better if we keep close to the trees..." Yukimura looked bored but Taiyou, who had never been in a snowstorm before, was a bit nervous. Fubuki seemed to notice and gave him a smile. "No need to worry, Taiyou. Snowstorms aren't dangerous." Yukimura huffed and muttered something under his breath. "But avalances are." Fubuki's smile faded, and a sad look appeared on his face. They all stayed silent for a while, the wind howling around the car. 


End file.
